Helmet mount for night vision device

Abstract

A helmet mount for a night vision device with a goggle horn for attachment to the helmet mount is disclosed. The helmet mount includes an adjustable socket assembly for mounting goggle horns with varying dimensions therein, and a break away latch assembly in the lower socket that allows a goggle horn to be removed if a certain predetermined force is applied to the night vision device. Additionally, the helmet mount includes a vertical adjustment system for changing the vertical position of the night vision device relative to the user's eyes. The vertical movement can be achieved by either a rack/pin system or a gear drive system. Also provided is a locking mechanism that allows the night vision device to be easily changed from the stowed or in use position by compressing an activation button that disengages the locking mechanism and allows the night vision to be flipped up or down. The vertical adjustment systems and locking mechanism are designed to allow for one-handed operation by the user of the night vision device.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A helmet mount for a night vision device comprising: 
       a helmet block adapted to secure the helmet mount to a helmet;  
       a chassis adapted to receive the night vision device;  
       a rack system adapted to extend between the helmet block and the chassis; and means for adjusting only a vertical position, and not a horizontal position, of the night vision device relative to a user's eyes, wherein the chassis moves vertically on the rack system relative to the helmet block.  
     
     
       2. The helmet mount of  claim 1  wherein the means for adjusting the vertical position of the night vision device relative to the user's eyes comprises: 
       a pin system mounted to the rack system, wherein the pin system has a release button positioned adjacent to a front surface of the rack system and a dowel pin positioned adjacent to a back surface of the rack system that is adapted to engage the back surface to keep the chassis stationary, wherein compressing the release button extends the dowel pin away from the back surface so that the chassis can be moved vertically relative to the helmet block.  
     
     
       3. The helmet mount of  claim 2  wherein the back surface has a plurality of horizontal grooves positioned vertically adjacent each ocher and adapted to receive a rounded surface of the dowel pin, such that the dowel pin moves within one of the grooves when the dowel pin contacts a surface between adjacent grooves. 
     
     
       4. The helmet mount of  claim 2  further comprising an actuator disposed between the front surface and the back surface, and connecting to the release button at a first end and connecting to the dowel pin at a second end opposite the first end, such that compressing the release button in a horizontal direction towards the front surface extends the actuator and the dowel pin an equal distance in the horizontal direction away from the back surface. 
     
     
       5. The helmet mount of claim of  claim 2  wherein the rack system comprises a front plate that is coupled to the chassis and a back plate that is coupled to the helmet block, wherein the front plate and the back plate are slidably connected in a double dovetail interface, wherein a pair of parallel ridges in the front plate slidably engage a pair of recesses in the back plate. 
     
     
       6. A helmet mount for a night vision device comprising: 
       a helmet block adapted to secure the helmet mount to a helmet;  
       a chassis adapted to receive the night vision device;  
       a rack system adapted to extend between the helmet block and the chassis; and means for adjusting a vertical position of the night vision device relative to a user's eyes, wherein the chassis moves vertically on the rack system relative to the helmet block;  
       wherein the means for adjusting the vertical position of the night vision device relative to the user's eyes comprises:  
       a gear drive system mounted to the rack system, wherein the gear drive system has a lever positioned adjacent to a front surface of the rack system and a gear positioned within a back surface of the rack system, wherein rotating the lever rotates the gear so that the vertical position of the chassis is changed.  
     
     
       7. A flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device, the flip-up helmet mount comprising: 
       a helmet block adapted to secure the flip-up helmet mount to a helmet;  
       a chassis adapted to receive the night vision device;  
       a bracket adapted to extend between the helmet block and the chassis, and rotatably couple the chassis to the helmet block; and  
       a locking mechanism to adjust the night vision device from a stowed position to a use position, wherein the locking mechanism comprises  
       an activation button protruding from an outer surface of the helmet block and integrally coupled to a shaft disposed within the helmet block, and a lock mounted within the helmet block having a bearing surface in contact with a first portion of the shaft, wherein pushing the activation button in a longitudinal direction compresses a spring resting between the shaft and an inside wall of the helmet block in the longitudinal direction, such that the bearing surface of the lock moves from the first portion of the shaft, which disengages the lock so that the night vision device can be moved from either the stowed position or the use position.  
     
     
       8. An adjustable socket assembly for mounting a night vision device comprising: 
       an upper socket and a lower socket adapted to be coupled together and mounted to a chassis for receiving the night vision device;  
       a recess formed between the upper socket and the lower socket for receiving a goggle horn coupled to the night vision device; and  
       a break away latch assembly mounted within the lower socket that allows the goggle horn to be removed from the socket assembly when a certain force is applied to the night vision device.  
     
     
       9. The adjustable socket assembly of  claim 8  wherein the break away latch assembly further comprises: 
       a latch pivotally secured within the lower socket and protruding from a bottom wall of the lower socket towards the upper socket, wherein the latch is adapted to engage the goggle horn; and  
       at least one spring mounted within the lower socket which presses against the latch so that the latch pivotally moves when a pre-determined impact is applied to the night vision device, which disengages the goggle horn from the latch and socket assembly.  
     
     
       10. A helmet mount for a night vision device comprising: 
       means for securing the helmet mount to a helmet;  
       means for receiving the night vision device within the helmet mount;  
       means for independently vertically adjusting the night vision device relative to a user's eyes while the helmet mount is secured to the helmet and the night vision device is received in the helmet mount, wherein only a vertical position of the night vision device can be adjusted by said means.  
     
     
       11. The helmet mount of  claim 10  wherein 
       the means for securing the helmet mount to the helmet is a helmet block;  
       the means for receiving the night vision device within the helmet mount is a chassis mounted to a rack system; and  
       the means for vertically adjusting the night vision device relative to the user's eyes comprises:  
       the rack system having a front plate and a back plate that are slidably connected, wherein the front plate is coupled to the chassis and the back plate is coupled to the helmet block; and  
       a pin system having a release button positioned adjacent to a front surface of the front plate and a dowel pin positioned adjacent to a back surface of the back plate, wherein the dowel pin is adapted to engage the back surface in order to keep the chassis stationary, wherein compressing the release button extends the dowel pin away from the back surface so that the chassis can be moved vertically relative to the helmet block.  
     
     
       12. The helmet mount of  claim 11  wherein the front plate and back plate are slidably connected in a double dovetail interface, wherein a pair of parallel ridges in the front plate slidably engage a pair of recesses in the back plate. 
     
     
       13. The helmet mount of  claim 11  wherein the back surface of the back plate has a plurality of horizontal grooves positioned vertically adjacent each other and adapted to receive a rounded surface of the dowel pin, such that the dowel pin moves within one of the grooves when the dowel pin contacts a surface between adjacent grooves. 
     
     
       14. The helmet mount of  claim 11  further comprising an actuator disposed between the front plate and the back plate, and connecting to the release button at a first end and connecting to the dowel pin at a second end opposite the first end, such that compressing the release button in a horizontal direction towards the front surface extends the actuator and the dowel pin an equal distance in the horizontal direction away from the back surface. 
     
     
       15. A helmet mount for a night vision device comprising: 
       means for securing the helmet mount to a helmet;  
       means for receiving the night vision device within the helmet mount;  
       means for vertically adjusting the night vision device relative to a user's eyes while the helmet mount is secured to the helmet and the night vision device is received in the helmet mount  
       wherein the means for securing the helmet mount to the helmet is a helmet block;  
       the means for receiving the night vision device within the helmet mount is a chassis mounted to a rack system; and  
       the means for vertically adjusting the night vision device relative to the user's eyes comprises:  
       the rack system having a front plate and a back plate that are slidably connected, wherein the front plate is coupled to the chassis and the back plate is coupled to the helmet mount; and  
       a gear drive system having a lever positioned adjacent to a front surface of the front plate and a gear positioned within a back surface of the back plate, wherein rotating the lever rotates the gear so that the vertical position of the chassis is changed relative to the helmet block.  
     
     
       16. The helmet mount of  claim 15  wherein the gear has a plurality of teeth and the back surface of the back plate has a plurality of grooves adapted to engage the teeth. 
     
     
       17. The helmet mount of  claim 15  wherein the gear has a rotational range of approximately 120 degrees with the back surface of the back plate. 
     
     
       18. The helmet mount of  claim 15  wherein the gear is made of brass. 
     
     
       19. The helmet mount of  claim 16  wherein a lubricant is placed over the grooves in the back surface of the back plate to facilitate a fluid movement of the gear when the lever is rotated. 
     
     
       20. The helmet mount of  claim 16  wherein an amount of friction to rotate the gear is sufficient to prevent a change in vertical position in the night vision device when a force encountered during ordinary use of the night vision device is applied to the night vision device.